


playground

by loaf (rkivedmemories)



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Action, Betrayal, CEO Beomgyu, Chairman Soobin, Chairman Yeonjun, Common Enemies, Deals, Drama, Falling In Love, Fluff, Huening Kai will take over his family's company later, Light Angst, M/M, Mild Language, Organized Crime, Other idols will appear, Romance, Taehyun is heavily involved in charity, Yeonbin, Yeonbin working together, backstabbing, some violence but not too bad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:06:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23184490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rkivedmemories/pseuds/loaf
Summary: [21 AUGUST 2020]playground will be on hiatus till further notice.everyone knows that games are only fun when you have someone to play with. the game they're playing is a dangerous one. you could lose everything in a split second if you're not careful. choi soobin and choi yeonjun were willing to risk everything— it didn't matter to them, the only thing they wanted was to stay on top."so, do we have a deal choi soobin-ssi?"
Relationships: Choi Soobin/Choi Yeonjun
Comments: 1
Kudos: 31





	1. the game begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. its not edited so sorry for the mistakes :)  
> 2\. as always, no updating schedule cos im horrible with deadlines  
> 3\. enjoy!

“Choi Yeonjun, potential heir of Choi Group, was caught last night in a club in Gangnam with a mysterious woman. The lady wasn’t identified, and all of South Korea is wondering who this mysterious woman could be—”

The reporter on the TV was cut off after Yeonjun shut it off. He sat back on the couch and threw the remote away from him. He scoffed at how ridiculous this news report was. The media just _loves_ to report his every single move, and he was tired of it. It was Saturday, all he wanted to do was relax, but of course nothing is ever this simple for him.

“Minseok,” he called.

His secretary walked into the living room and bowed.

“Yes, Sir?”

“Did my father hear about this?” Yeonjun asked while staring at the other man.

“Yes, he did. He just called to inform me that you’re being summoned to his office at headquarters.”

Yeonjun sighed. “Tell Hyunjae to bring my car to the front.”

Minseok bowed but hesitated to leave. While it wasn’t strange for Yeonjun to not use a driver, he would usually take one if he was going to see his family. He used the car ride to calm himself before he had to go deal with all the drama that comes with gatherings.

“Sir, you don’t want me to drive you?”

Yeonjun stood up and started heading towards his room to dress “appropriately”.

“No, it’s alright, Minseok.”

Minseok bowed once again and left Yeonjun to do his thing.

————- ★ ————-

A tall man stepped out of a private jet and took off his sunglasses with a smile on his face. He was glad to be home after spending three months in Europe. He quickly made his way to a car that was waiting for him while the staff around him were running all over the place. His bodyguard took his bag and opened the door for him. He acknowledged him with a nod before sliding into the backseat of the car. 

Once he settled in, he looked at the rearview mirror and smiled at the man in the front seat.

“Chairman Choi, welcome back. Where would you like to go?” the man in the front questioned.

“Secretary Lee, please take me to my father first," Choi Soobin, the new chairman of K Group, replied. 

Secretary Lee nodded and drove away from the airport. Soobin was glad to be home, but he was also nervous. He left on a three-month vacation right after he was announced as the chairman for K Group. He asked his father to take some time off to have fun before he was tied down by the responsibilities that came with his new position. Thankfully, his father was understanding, and now he was on his way to report to his father and start his duties. 

His exhaustion from his flight caught up to him, and Soobin started to drift off into dreamland. 

————- ★ ————-

Once Yeonjun arrived at the office, he handed his keys to the valet. The guard at the door bowed and opened the door for him once he approached the door. Being here made him extremely annoyed. Everyone around him walked on eggshells and it was frustrating. All the employees who weren’t close to him or didn’t interact with him thought he was some playboy who was rude and unnecessarily cruel all the time. 

Yeonjun can’t deny the fact that he likes to flirt— he isn’t rude or cruel though. 

The fact that he looks angry all the time at the office because of his siblings doesn’t help this at all either. Yeonjun is the middle child and is most likely going to be the heir of the company, even if he has an older brother. Everyone knows that Yeonjun’s older brother is incompetent and money hungry while his younger sister is manipulative and greedy. 

They would do anything to bring him down or make him look bad in their father’s eyes. 

Most people know that he’s his father’s favorite though. While Yeonjun is very mischievous and carefree, he is very intelligent and charismatic. He has proven countless times to his father that he is capable enough to run the company. 

He walked into the elevator and the operator quickly pressed the button for the highest floor. Yeonjun adjusted his tie and internally groaned at how stiff the clothes were. He’s very uncomfortable right now, and he just knows his siblings will be there to bring up his little mishap from the night before. His mood will worsen when he steps into that office, he just knows it will.

Once upon a time he and his siblings got along very well, but once they grew older and became obsessed with money and power, things changed. It disgusted him, he can see how people can change from money and power, but he wasn’t expecting his siblings to become so corrupt. He sighed once again and stared at his reflection from the shiny walls of the elevator.

He felt like causing a mess again, and briefly wondered if he’d get in trouble for dyeing his hair blue— or if he signed a modeling contract with some label. Both options seemed like great ones to him while he was studying his reflection.

Yeonjun was brought of his thoughts when the elevator reached the top floor. He composed himself and tried to clear away any thoughts or feelings to keep a straight face. He couldn’t slip in front of his siblings because they’d find the littlest thing and use it against him. The thought made him scoff, but it was true.

Lately though, some of his men who were tasked with watching his siblings’ actions reported that his younger sister was meeting with some shady people. He knew it was most likely another plot to take him down. He would have to find a way to quietly deal with her, and that was another added to his never-ending to-do list.

Finally, the elevator reached the top floor where his father’s office was, and he quickly got out of the elevator. He hastily made his way to his father’s office and walked in.

His siblings were already seated and waiting for him. His mother and father were seated across the two and they both looked up once Yeonjun closed the door behind him.

“Mother, Father,” Yeonjun greeted with a smile. His parents returned his smile, and his mother gestured for him to take a seat. Once he sat down, he heard a scoff from his sister next to him, and he stared at her barely able to keep a straight face.

“What? No greeting for your siblings?” she asked while crossing her arms. Yeonjun though she looked like a little child who was about to throw a tantrum and he smirked.

“Awe, is poor little Yejin-ah sad that her brother didn’t say hi?” he replied, and she scoffed at his mocking tone.

“I have to admit that I am a bit hurt as well,” Yeonseok butt in with a sad smile on his face.

Yeonjun ignored his brother and turned to face his parents who were silently waiting for their children to stop bickering. His father looked a little annoyed while his mother had a blank look on.

“Well, now that you all have decided to finally act like the adults you are, it’s time to talk business,” his father began. “It has been decided that I will be retiring in about three months, and once that time comes, I will hold a meeting to announce my successor.”

Yeonseok and Yejin’s eyes lit up at their father’s announcement.

“Father, may I ask who you’ve chosen to take your position?” Yejin asked with a fake smile on her face. It was obvious to Yeonjun that she believed it was her, and he wanted to laugh.

“My successor will be Yeonjun.”

Yejin’s eyes widened, Yeonseok looked confused, and Yeonjun smirked.

“What? Father— I thought I was your successor?” Yeonseok asked as he stood up. He looked a bit angry, and Yeonjun could tell that this was not going to end well. He was going to continue his rambling when Yeonjun decided he didn’t want to hear it.

“You heard him. Let’s not make Father repeat himself,” Yeonjun cut in.

Yeonseok’s eyes left his father, and he gave his brother a nasty glare.

“I am his eldest son! I’m supposed to take over not _you_.”

“Still, Father has made his decision, and it’s best if you sit down and stop shouting like a child throwing a tantrum,” Yeonjun said calmly.

Yeonseok sneered at him, but he still sat down. “It makes no sense to have the second son take over and not the first. It’s not like I am incapable of running this company. Father put me in a high position in the company to prepare for this very moment.”

“Well maybe Father has seen your performance while in your current position, and deemed you unworthy of being the Chairman,” Yeonjun retorted.

Yeonseok’s mouth opened and closed while he tried to reply. Yejin’s eyes were a little wide, but nothing else gave away her shock at her older brother’s words.

“What? It’s true,” Yeonjun began, he crossed his legs lazily and shifted in his seat. “We all know you’ve been struggling these past few months. Your reports show that you’re slowly becoming overwhelmed with all the work, which is suspicious to me.”

“You—” Yeonseok was about to start shouting at his brother, but Yeonjun wasn’t having it and continued on.

“You were fine before when you first started. Why are you struggling now? Tell me, _hyung_ , why are we losing money because of you?”

Yeonseok’s face turned red at Yeonjun’s mocking words, and he looked ready to punch his brother, but he somehow managed to hold himself back.

“It’s just been tough. That’s all you need to know,” he replied.

“Oh? Then why did some of my men working under you tell me you’ve been contacting suspicious people from foreign companies? I’ve also had them check your recent activity with the company’s account and your own. You’ve been withdrawing a lot of money lately, _hyung_.”

“You’ve been spying on me!?”

Yeonseok stood up once again and moved to grab Yeonjun by his shirt, but their father smacked his desk and startled everyone.

“Enough! I will not have you acting like little children in my office and in front of me! Yeonseok, sit down,” their father cut in, clearly angry at how foolish his children were being.

The eldest son reluctantly sat down while Yeonjun bowed his head and apologized.

“It has already been decided that Yeonjun will be my successor. You are all dismissed, and Yeonjun, I expect you to meet with me soon to discuss the details of when you are taking over.”

Yeonjun quickly stood up and bowed.

“Thank you, Father.”

Not wanting to waste anymore time here, he made his way out of his father’s office after saying goodbye to his mother. He was relieved to finally be out of that room and loosened his tie. He found himself laughing at the little family meeting they just had. What a joke, it was too easy, everything’s going according to plan.

This meeting wasn’t as bad as he expected it to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey thanks for reading! i hope you enjoyed it!! please stay safe everyone and wash your hands. i love you all!
> 
> SOCIAL MEDIA:  
> [main twt](https://twitter.com/ctrlbins?s=09)  
> [au archive twt](https://twitter.com/tdclix)  
> [my cc](https://curiouscat.qa/loafae)


	2. set into motion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It isn't edited, are we surprised? no. enjoy tho uwu

Soobin quietly closed his father’s office door behind him and walked closer to where his father was standing. He saw his father gazing out of his windows with his back facing the wall. Soobin knew that when his father was like this, he was deep in thought or troubled. The young chairman’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Was something wrong?

“Welcome back, my son,” Soobin’s father said. He turned around to face his son and softly smiled at him. Soobin returned the smile and bowed.

“Thank you for letting me go on a three-month trip to Europe before I took over,” Soobin replied. Soobin was still young, and his father understood that. At first his father wanted him to start right away, but when his son asked for a little trip, he didn’t deny him.

Soobin has been preparing for this moment his whole life. He’s been shadowing his father in the office ever since he was a small boy. He knew he was capable of running this company, but his heart sort of wasn’t in it.

After spending three months on vacation, he’s had some time to think it over.

“Father, I am well rested and ready to take over now.”

His father gestured for him to take a seat and he did. His father sat down across from him and leaned back in his chair. Soobin was nervously playing with his fingers while he waited for his father’s reply.

“I’m glad. How was your trip?”

“It was great, I met new people, learned new things, and the whole experience was great.”

Soobin’s father smiled again and reached into a locked drawer in his desk and pulled a few papers out of it.

“Here is all the information you need to know to start you off. Even if you are Chairman now, I will still be here in the office to assist you.”

Soobin accepted the papers and read them while his father sat and observed. In the stacks were financial reports, reports from the other branches of the company in different countries, etc. The last few papers were weird though, and when Soobin looked up at his father confused, his father sighed.

“I know you’re wondering what these papers for,” his father began, Soobin nodded and spread out the four papers on the desk. “These people on these papers are some people within the company you need to watch out for.”

Soobin’s eyes widened. “Watch out for?”

“Yes, I’ve heard that they’re not pleased with you inheriting the company at a young age and that they might try to take you down.”

Soobin scowled. “Are you going to take any action?” He looked through the papers and saw many people he thought were good people. He’s met many of them before and had nice conversations.

“My hands are tied here. I have no proof, but I wanted to warn you so you can be careful and could quietly gather some dirt on them. Take them out as quickly as you can.”

“Understood, Father,” Soobin replied. The thought of his own people from his own company betraying him and his father left a bitter taste in his mouth.

He discussed more things with his father before he left the office for lunch.

He didn’t know what they would try to pull, but he knows they weren’t going to play nice. No one does in this world of his. It scared Soobin and he was very reluctant to do so, but it seems like he would have to do some scheming of his own. He knew exactly who he should go to for help.

He took his phone out of his pocket and dialed a number. The person picked up on the third ring and Soobin smiled.

“Hey, Taehyun, I’m back in Korea. Are you free for lunch?”

————- ★ ————-

Soobin entered the fancy restaurant Taehyun chose and the host quickly brought him to a private room where his friends were waiting. After he called Taehyun, he quickly contacted Huening Kai to join them for lunch as well.

When he walked into the room, he saw the two of them laughing with food already waiting at the table. The host bowed and left the room while Huening Kai and Taehyun stood up to greet the young chairman.

“Hyung!” Huening Kai chirped as he hugged the taller man.

“Hyuka,” Soobin greeted with a smile.

“How was your trip, Soobin-hyung?” Taehyun questioned as he hugged Soobin too.

“It was very relaxing; it was something I needed.”

Soobin took a seat while Taehyun and Huening Kai sat across him. He thanked Taehyun for ordering for him already and they all proceeded to eat. His mind was occupied with what his father told him earlier. It was concerning, he didn’t know what moves these people would make. He didn’t know when and he didn’t know how. It put him on edge which wasn’t a good thing.

He rested his head on his hand and sipped his drink.

If he didn’t know what they were going to do, he wasn’t sure if he would be able to prepare for what’s to come. He _just_ became the chairman and he has so many new problems. His brows furrowed and his two companions noticed his expression.

“Hyung, are you okay?” Huening Kai asked, concerned that his usually smiley hyung looked very troubled. He put down his utensils and Soobin could see the worry in his eyes.

“I’ve come across some troubling news,” he answered, not wanting to lie to his friends. Taehyun looked confused while Huening Kai’s worrying increased.

“What happened?”

Soobin stopped eating and told his friends of the meeting he had with his father. He told them about he felt about the whole thing and how he also wanted to ask them for help. Was it wrong to burden them with his problems? Soobin didn’t know, but when he saw the evil glint in Taehyun’s eyes and the mischievous look on Huening Kai’s face, he was reminded that his friends would help him with anything he needed.

“I have some connections to some… people if you need,” Huening Kai said after Soobin finished recounting what his father had told him. He was smirking, and Soobin had a bad feeling about it but still allowed him to continue.

“If you need, I know Bangtan, and they would be willing to help you, maybe even for free.”

Taehyun’s eyes widened while Soobin grinned. Of course, Huening Kai managed to make friends with these dangerous people. He was just so cute and charming, two very dangerous traits indeed.

“Bangtan? How?” Taehyun couldn’t help his curiosity and asked.

“I met them at a random party one day and befriended them. Hoseok-hyung calls me his pupil and little brother! I like them a lot and they’re really nice people,” Huening Kai explained happily. He had a wide smile on his face and his eyes sparkled in delight. “I’m sure they’ll like you and help you out, Soobin-hyung.”

Soobin nodded. If Bangtan was willing to help him out, his safety would be guaranteed. No one would want to mess with them since they’re very prominent people in the underground, which means that there’s less people who would want to work for the guys trying to take him down. It made him feel a little better hearing that Huening Kai was willing to as his friends to help him.

“Ah, thank you. I’d really appreciate it if they could help me out.”

“No problem! I can arrange a meeting soon for all of us to meet.”

“Sounds good.”

“I have some people I know too who could help,” Taehyun said after a moment of silence. He thought hard about who he could reach out too and remembered one person. “I won’t tell you who it is right now because I want to ask if he is willing to help, but just know that this man is someone who works efficiently and is very reliable.”

The young chairman nodded and mentally noted this. He was very thankful his friends were so willing to use their connections to help them. Soobin didn’t really care to network but he sees the benefits it has and considers it. Why didn’t he do it before? He really didn’t know but he promises to try and do it. It’s not like he doesn’t have any connections of his own, it’s just that Taehyun and Huening Kai have more.

“Oh! I just remembered something,” Taehyun said while pulling up something on his phone. He showed Soobin and a flyer on the phone. “I’m hosting another charity event at one of Hyuka’s hotels and of course you’re invited. I still need to finalize a few, minor things, but it’s this Friday!” Once Soobin was done looking at the phone, Taehyun put it away.

“Ooh, I’ll be sure to inform my father about this so we can donate,” Soobin replied. It seems that the chance to network came quicker than he thought. This also meant that he was going to be in a crowded place and there would be many opportunities to harm him. Soobin quickly shook away those thoughts. Now that he was chairman, he needed to show his face in public. He couldn’t let his enemies think he was a coward.

He would just have to bring a small security team to ensure his safety, and he knew that Taehyun would take precautions at events like these.

Important people were going to be there, but that just means people who want to get rid of them would be there too. It was sadly what people like them had to deal with.

They trio talked for another hour, split the bill, and left each other with hugs and promises to meet up again for lunch soon.

————- ★ ————-

Soobin had Secretary Lee drop him off to his penthouse after the lunch with his friends. He was exhausted from his flight, the meeting with his father, and the lunch. Once he made sure everything in was in order in his penthouse, he quickly went to his room to rest on his bed.

He stared up at his ceiling as he processed everything that’s happened so far.

He’s only been back for a few hours, but everything has been so crazy. He knows he should appreciate all the free time he’s going to have from here on out because he’s going to be very busy real soon.

Being a chairman will take up most of his time now and it seems like he won’t be able to have much time to relax. He rubbed his eyes with his hand and sighed.

He feels a little bad for Secretary Lee and makes and made a mental note to give the man a raise. Starting tomorrow he would be very busy along with Soobin.

He will also be attending the charity event with Soobin as well.

He was actually a little excited for the event. All the events Taehyun throws for his charity projects are fun. He’s very creative and never fails to entertain all his guests. He finds himself lucky to be friends with a very creative and intelligent mind.

He knows that if he ever gets overwhelmed with his work, Taehyun would be willing to help him out with anything. Even Huening Kai. They’ve helped him many times before and he’s helped them. They were amazing friends, his best friends.

A _ping!_ from his phone interrupted his thoughts and he quickly picked up his phone.

It was a file from one of his men on the people trying to take him down.

Soobin smirked and opened up the file. Many of them are working together, and while he was off island, they were having meetings without his father knowing. He scrolled down more and saw their call and message records. They’ve been contacting some people from the underground and didn’t even think to use a burner phone or something to conceal their tracks. He scoffed at them and continued to look through the file.

His men were very thorough with their search and he sent a text to Secretary Lee to give them a bonus. The information he got was very valuable and asked them to bring him a physical copy of it at the office. He made sure to tell his men to make sure their tracks were untraceable and that no one could access the file except him and people he trusted.

The next time he met with Taehyun and Huening Kai, he would show them.

Now that he has gathered some evidence it was now time for him to put his place his pieces on the board, strategize, and then set his plan into motion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. YAY A SOOBS FOCUSED CHAPTER  
> 2\. TAEHYUN AND HUENING KAI AMAZING FRIENDS WITH AMAZING CONNECTIONS  
> 3\. ofc i couldn't resist putting bangtan in the story  
> 4\. i wonder if y'all caught the foreshadowing hehe  
> 5\. soobs is scheming and entering the game. things are about to kick off from here!!
> 
> THANKS FOR READING AND FOR THE KUDOS ILY ALL
> 
> SOCIAL MEDIA:  
> [main twt](https://twitter.com/ctrlbins?s=09)  
> [au archive twt](https://twitter.com/tdclix)  
> [my cc](https://curiouscat.qa/loafae)


	3. a warning?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this isnt edited :D enjoy <3

The day after the meeting with his siblings, Yeonjun found himself working away in his office at the company’s headquarters. Now that his father has named him the successor, he had a lot more work on his plate. He was reading the reports Minseok brought in for him earlier this morning and was feeling a little restless.

He set down the papers to take a sip of his coffee on his desk and slumped in his chair.

Yeonjun picked up his phone resting next to him on his desk and scrolled through his social media. His father had taken down all articles of his ‘scandal’ at the club and the only noteworthy news was that the young chairman of K Group had returned to Korea yesterday.

Choi Soobin was interesting in Yeonjun’s eyes. He was similar to Yeonjun in many ways. They were close in age and were both going to take over their respective companies. Well, Soobin already was Chairman, but he just officially started yesterday. He also knows that Taehyun was a mutual friend of his, and he has told Yeonjun stories about Soobin before.

The only difference was that he was his father’s only child and had no one to fight for the position of Chairman, Yeonjun did.

He’s only seen the young chairman in passing before at some useless party or random charity event Yeonjun had attended just for his father or Taehyun, but he would like to befriend the man.

He seemed like he could be a great friend— from what Taehyun has told him— and a great business partner for the future.

It wouldn’t be a bad thing to become partners with the company who was equal to Choi Group in terms of power and influence. The two of them would become even more powerful than they already were. Once Yeonjun became chairman, he would definitely arrange a business meeting with them.

He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard a sharp knock on his door.

“Come in,” he called out to whoever was on the other side. Yeonjun pocketed his phone and pushed aside his papers while he waited for the person to come in.

“Sir,” Minseok greeted as once he walked in. He bowed and straightened, waiting for Yeonjun to address him.

“Yes, Minseok?”

“You have received an invitation from Kang Taehyun to attend his charity even this Friday,” Minseok reported while placing a very elegant looking invitation on Yeonjun’s desk.

Yeonjun hummed and picked it up to read while Minseok stayed quiet.

Once he was done reading, he set the invitation down and smiled at Minseok.

“Please schedule a hair appointment for me tomorrow,” Yeonjun said while touching his hair. “I want to surprise people. Tell them I wish to dye my hair blue. Also, confirm the invitation and clear my schedule for Friday.”

“Understood, sir,” Minseok said before leaving the office with a bow.

Yeonjun went back to work and groaned when he saw all the unread e-mails, paperwork, and reports he would all have to eventually get through.

————- ★ ————-

At around lunch time Yeonjun got a text from Beomgyu asking if he wanted to eat lunch. Yeonjun agreed and quickly wrapped up what he was doing and informed Minseok that he would be leaving for lunch and that he could take lunch as well.

Once Beomgyu heard that Yeonjun was named the successor, he insisted on treating Yeonjun to lunch. Yeonjun tried arguing that he was older and that he should treat, but Beomgyu wasn’t having it. He told Yeonjun not to try anything because he had called ahead and informed the restaurant that their lunch today should be put on his tab he had there.

The restaurant they were going to meet at was one Beomgyu frequently ate at.

It was close to his office and luckily there was no traffic, so he got there in record time.

The restaurant was one that overlooked Seoul and was very beautiful. Beomgyu was waiting at their table next to the window, he was looking at his phone, but looked up when Yeonjun sat down.

“Hey Gyu,” Yeonjun said while he grinned at his friend.

“Hyung! Congrats,” Beomgyu greeted with a large smile on his face. He looked very angelic in his white button up shirt and the natural lighting coming in through the window. It was no wonder he was a model.

“Thank you, and I must say Gyu, you look amazing!” Yeonjun replied.

“So, you never told me everything that happened yesterday. I assume your siblings were present yesterday?” Beomgyu asked, he waited patiently and sipped his drink while Yeonjun browsed through the menu.

“They were. I exposed my brother and he got mad. Miss Princess couldn’t believe I was named the successor either. She really thought it’d be her,” Yeonjun answered.

“Mm I see. Your sister is very self-centered,” Beomgyu said absentmindedly while staring out of the window. Yeonjun knew his friend was deep in thought and waved over a waiter to order his food. He decided to get something light and was craving soup.

“How did your father take it?” Beomgyu questioned once Yeonjun was done ordering. Yeonjun smirked and held back a laugh. Beomgyu saw the look in his friend’s eyes and couldn’t stop the smug smile on his face.

“He was angry. He probably hasn’t completely processed the information yet, but when he does, I know he’ll call me in and ask about it.”

“This just means that I’ll have to watch my back even more than I originally did,” Yeonjun muttered feeling a little bitter. He just wished his siblings weren’t jealous assholes. It would really make his life easier and interactions with his family more pleasant.

Yeonjun messed around with the sleeve of his blue button up and sighed.

“Did you get an invite to Kang Taehyun’s charity event?" Beomgyu asked, wanting to change the topic. He could tell that Yeonjun was bothered by it and didn’t want to see his usual cheerful friend looking annoyed.

“I did. Did you?”

“I did too. Can we meet up before we go?”

“Sure, we can meet at my house and I’ll drive,” Yeonjun replied.

“Wait,” Beomgyu said, he looked at Yeonjun with a scared face. “Does your sister still like me?” He whispered the last part fearing that if he’d mentioned it, Yeonjun’s sister might appear out of thin air.

Yeonjun almost choked on his water he was sipping, but he managed to recover in time.

“Yes.”

Beomgyu groaned. “Are you kidding me? it’s not like I haven’t expressed that I wasn’t interested in her for these past few years.”

Yeonjun snorted but didn’t continue the conversation. Their food had arrived, and he was feeling a little hungry. The pair both started to eat and sat in comfortable silence. He felt bad for Beomgyu. His foolish younger sister had a very huge crush on him and wouldn’t stop bothering him whenever he visited.

She got very clingy with him and there were some cases where she would be very overprotective of him. it was annoying and nothing Beomgyu did could get her to stop liking him. He’s tried it all.

“Maybe I should just tell her that I’m gay. I’m not lying,” Beomgyu muttered while pushing his food around his plate. “It’s none of her business but I’d do anything to get rid of her.”

Yeonjun chuckled which caught Beomgyu’s attention.

“Or, if you’re feeling evil, maybe tell her you know what she’s been doing behind my back and that you won’t consider her if she continues to do bad things to your amazing best friend,” Yeonjun replied. Beomgyu smirked and laughed. It wasn’t a bad idea but only one of the boys could win. She would either choose to stop plotting against Yeonjun and continue to bother Beomgyu or continue to plot against her brother and lose Beomgyu’s potential interest.

“I could.”

“I don’t know if she’ll show up at the charity event. Even if Taehyun invited her, I don’t know if Father would let her attend,” Yeonjun reassured his friend. Beomgyu let out a relieved sigh. He had faith that their father wouldn’t let her attend.

“He might want just you to represent the company since you’ve just been named his successor, you know, for publicity and all that other bullshit. He’s also most likely going to make you network while you’re there as practice,” the CEO said with a small smile on his face. He’d be able to go to a public event without seeing the youngest Choi!

“You have a point,” Yeonjun replied lamely. While his friend was excited, he wasn’t. He just knew the cameras would mostly be on him that night— maybe even Choi Soobin— but he’d have to be on his best behavior. Him? Behave? Sure. People would be analyzing his every move, every word, every interaction, anything. He was the media’s favorite target for scandals.

“Hm, I wonder how Choi Soobin deals with nosy press,” Yeonjun said, not realizing that he said his thoughts out loud.

Beomgyu looked at him with a puzzled expression on his face.

“Choi Soobin? Why’d you bring him up out of nowhere?”

Yeonjun snapped out his thoughts and rubbed his arm sheepishly.

“Oops, I didn’t mean to say that out loud,” he paused and shifted in his seat to get into a comfortable position. “He’s been on the news a lot lately, and I have too, obviously, so I was wondering how he deals with it.”

“Ohh, well from what Taehyun has told me, Choi Soobin-ssi usually tries to avoid appearing in public and making it to the news,” Beomgyu responded before continuing to eat his food. “He’s an angel in the eyes of the media though. Some netizens call him an angel as well because he seems innocent,” he added in as an afterthought after he finished taking a bite of his food.

Yeonjun snorted at the last part. “No one’s an angel.”

“Well like I said, he barely shows up in the news and during the rare time he does, there’s only good things about him. He doesn’t like attention that much, but Taehyun also told me that’s going to change soon.”

“Must be nice. I’m guessing he is going to show up in public more due to his new position?” the older Choi questioned while Beomgyu continued to eat.

Beomgyu just nodded, not wanting to talk with his mouth full. Yeonjun hummed and went silent again. He looked around the room, he hasn’t been keeping his guard up since he got here, and that was a bad thing.

The light chatter and noise of the restaurant calmed him though. It was a nice distraction from his thoughts that were all over the place. Everything was happening a little too fast for him. There were so many things to be done, to investigate, to prepare for, but Yeonjun didn’t know if he had enough time to do all of that.

But maybe he likes that feeling of uncertainty.

It motived him and it allowed him to push himself and become better.

He may have a few people opposing him right now, but soon they won’t be. He would just have to carefully take down his obstacles one by one.

————- ★ ————-

After the lunch, he made his way back to the office. When he walked in, the first thing that greeted him was a new pile of paperwork on his desk. He looked at it and glared, and he hoped it would magically disappear. He sat down in his office chair and closed his eyes, silently praying that the stack would disappear.

He opened it and sighed when it was still there.

“Ah, I’m going to have to get used to it soon,” he muttered in defeat while he grabbed the first paper on the stack. He played some soft classical music in the background and started to work.

Most of the paperwork was boring while some caught his interest.

Yeonjun couldn’t deny that doing paperwork was better than attending boring business meeting. He had to deal with old men trying to one-up each other and continue to be kiss asses. It was disgusting to see them so desperate for a promotion and more power.

Here, in the privacy of his office, he was allowed to forego his mask and simply just be him. Here, he wasn’t Choi Yeonjun infamous “playboy” and future Chairman of Choi Group. He didn’t have to watch his back or be cautious about his actions and words. He was away from prying eyes and the vicious media who would do anything for another scoop. Away from the spotlight.

And, maybe it was his fault that many eyes were on him. Maybe he brought it onto himself with his actions and how he presented himself to the world.

He shook his head and tried to stop thinking so negatively.

“This paperwork is making me such a grouch,” he mused to himself while signing his sixth document.

He ran a hand through his hair and turned on his computer. He opened up his email to check if anything new had arrived. He scrolled through his inbox and read some of them and trashed the useless. He continued until his phone started ringing.

He picked up and frowned when he read the name.

“Taehyun?” he said once he answered the call.

 _“Hyung,”_ Taehyun said, sounding out of breath. Yeonjun tensed and his worry started to grow. What caused his friend to call him in a hurry?

“Tyun? Are you okay? You sound like you’re panicking.”

_“Hyung, I received a sketchy email from someone and I’m worried.”_

“An email? What did it say?”

_“It was from an unknown person. I tried having it traced but we couldn’t find anything. It’s weird and I’m worried. It was a warning, hyung.”_

“Calm down, can I see the email?”

Taehyun took a deep breath before he agreed. _“Sure, I’ll send it.”_

Yeonjun immediately clicked on the email that was forwarded to him and frowned. Once he was done reading it his eyes widened.

**Read It.**

**8739238 <** teanejeidw@email.com **>**

forwarded from ktaehyun@email.com –

something unexpected will happen soon, and maybe it will affect you greatly, maybe it won’t. maybe it concerns someone else you know :) I’m not nice enough to give you all the details, but this is a little warning. now, you must be wondering why I’m warning you and you’re probably asking yourself why I would go out of my way to warn you. well my friend, this is all for my amusement. see, I have been tasked to deal with my employer’s _problem_ and I of course did some research and decided that this is a fun way to do my job. I will give you hints every day and will test if you can figure out this mystery. If you can’t then, oops.

your first hint: even angels can fall from grace

“What the hell is this?” Yeonjun said to his friend through the phone. The one who send it was implying that someone was going to get hurt or something worse. It made him worried.

_“I don’t know. I called the first person I thought of and that was you. I’m sorry for burdening you with this.”_

”Nonsense, Taehyun. Obviously, this is worrying. I’m glad you told me so that now I can help you.”

_“You’d really help me?”_

Yeonjun smiled even though Taehyun couldn’t see it. He had a bad feeling about this, but if he and Taehyun could figure things out, maybe they can prevent something bad from happening.

“Of course. Are you planning on telling anyone else about this besides me?”

 _“No, it’s too risky. I took a huge chance by telling you about this.”_ Taehyun sighed on the other side of the phone and Yeonjun frowned.

“Okay, I’ll see what I can do. Let’s meet tomorrow?”

 _“Sure, I can meet up for a bit_.”

“Great, I’ll send you the location and time for tomorrow. Stay safe, Tyun.”

_“I will, hyung. Thank you and bye.”_

“Bye,” Yeonjun replied before he hung up. He placed down his phone and rested his head on his chair. It seems like the universe doesn’t want him to have a break, and things were only starting to get serious now.

He looked up at his paperwork still waiting to be done and groaned once he realized he still had a lot more to go through.

“Shit,” he mumbled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. i dont know how i feel about this chapter but here it is  
> 2\. it's a little longer than usual, and maybe chapters will be getting longer? :)  
> 3\. okay but yeonjun's interest in soobin :D  
> 4\. model and ceo gyu? i think yes.  
> 5\. omg mysterIOus message that i didn't plan for that i added in as i wrote 
> 
> hehe thanks for reading and leaving kudos, i love you all!
> 
> SOCIAL MEDIA:  
> [main twt](https://twitter.com/ctrlbins?s=09)  
> [au archive twt](https://twitter.com/tdclix)  
> [my cc](https://curiouscat.qa/loafae)


	4. scrambling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm so sorry for being almost two months late. this wasn't thoroughly edited so i apologize for any mistakes. enjoy! also, little warning that this chapter contains very mild violence! i don't really go into too much detail but i wanted to warn you before you read just to be safe.

Yeonjun walked to the salon with his iced americano in his hand, running a bit behind his schedule. He woke up late after a night of fitful sleep. After the disturbing news he received from Taehyun, he found it a little hard to rest peacefully knowing that there was someone out there who was currently being targeted, and that the fate of this person could potentially rest on his and Taehyun’s shoulder.

To say this whole ordeal was stressful is an understatement.

He had just got off the phone with Taehyun who was already waiting for him at the salon. Yeonjun felt bad for being late, but he was thankful that Taehyun told him to not worry about it too much.

When he entered the salon, he found Taehyun sitting in the lounge area drinking coffee and flipping through one of the magazines from the coffee table.

“Taehyun,” Yeonjun said, greeting his friend with a small smile. Taehyun looked up and set down the magazine and coffee.

“Hyung!”

Yeonjun walked over to the couch and sat next to Taehyun who scooted over to make room.

“Are you going to get something done?” Yeonjun questioned once he settled himself on the couch. Taehyun picked up a booklet with different hair colors and hummed while he flipped through it.

“Maybe I’ll dye it a lighter color? It’s been black for a while,” Taehyun replied while touching his hair. Yeonjun took a sip of his iced americano and rested his head on his other arm.

“I think you’d look fine either way. You’re extremely handsome, Tyun,” Yeonjun said truthfully. Taehyun laughed at the compliment and turned a little red.

The two continued to talk a little longer until the receptionist told them their hairstylist was ready for them. They both got up and walked to the back and set down all their belongings before heading to the back area. They sat on the chair and let the staff wash their hair. Yeonjun found this a little relaxing, and he allowed himself to get comfortable.

“Did you get anymore messages,” Yeonjun questioned after a few moments of silence. Taehyun shifted a little in his seat at the request of the staff. Taehyun frowned and sighed.

“Nope, that was the last I heard from them.”

The staff finished up washing their hair and brought the pair to their stations. Yeonjun got comfortable in his chair and tried to think of what he was going to say next. He could tell the other was very on edge and tense, and he knew things wouldn’t end well for his friend if he continued to be. Not with an event so important to Taehyun so close.

“Who do you think it is?” Taehyun asked staring off into the distance, deep in thought. He feels like he should know who this random person was targeting. It was at the back of his mind, taunting him, reminding him of how powerless he felt right now. It was so simple yet so hard, and it really annoyed him.

“I doubt it’d be a random acquaintance,” Yeonjun answered.

Taehyun unlocked his phone and started scrolling through random apps and occasionally checking emails or texts. Yeonjun also got out his phone and read the text messages from Minseok who was currently looking into the email Taehyun received yesterday. They hadn't found anything yet and Yeonjun knew that it meant someone who knew how to play the game really well was after someone Taehyun knew.

Beomgyu sent him a text and Yeonjun opened it to see a stupid meme. Beomgyu was stuck in a meeting this early in the morning and decided to whine and complain to Yeonjun instead of paying attention. Yeonjun snickered and sent a meme back to his friend. He made sure to scold Beomgyu too for not paying attention and laughed when the CEO replied with another meme.

“Maybe it’s a business partner, it would make sense since your charity event is close,” Yeonjun offered while he switched to an app to play games. It helped calm him down and control his racing thoughts. It also served as the perfect distraction for him.

“You have a point. Maybe I should be asking myself why this person would target one of my friends. Would looking at the motive instead reveal who the person in danger is?” Taehyun asked, still trying to make sense of things. Yeonjun glanced away from his phone and looked over to his right to see a thoughtful look on his friend’s face.

“There’s a lot of big events going on in our world right now so I’m not sure what would’ve caused this person to act,” Yeonjun replied as he turned his attention back to his game on his phone.

“To be completely honest with you hyung, I am so frustrated right now I could cry,” Taehyun confessed. “I can only sit here and keep speculating about things and I’m wasting precious time that could be used in ensuring the safety of this person.”

Yeonjun put down his phone and frowned. “Taehyun, I know you’re very concerned, but please don’t stress out too much. We’re both trying our best, okay?” Yeonjun reassured. He pat Taehyun on the shoulder to offer some type of comfort and Taehyun shot Yeonjun a grateful smile.

“Thanks, hyung…” Taehyun trailed off as he got a text message. Yeonjun watched as Taehyun frowned and his eyes widened. He turned to Yeonjun who was very concerned about his friend’s weird behavior and patiently waited for Taehyun to tell him what was wrong.

His jaw dropped when Taehyun told him what happened.

“Hyung,” Taehyun muttered, voice slightly panicked. He showed Yeonjun his phone. “I got another clue.”

_“Angel has been on the news lately and he’s about to be on it again.”_

Yeonjun looked at him, alarm present in his expression, mouth hanging open.

“It’s Soobin-hyung. It has to be.”

“Oh shit.”

———— ★ ————

Huening Kai took out his phone from his pocket and contemplated whether or not he should contact Jung Hoseok right now or not. He was afraid the man was busy, and he really didn’t want to annoy him right now. On the other hand, the situation right now is sort of an emergency and time is of the essence.

He finally gave in after running through different outcomes of the call in his head and dialed a number. He gave his driver a grateful smile when the man put up the divider between them. Huening Kai watched as he passed by the tall buildings while waiting for Hoseok to answer the call.

After a few rings, Huening Kai finally heard a voice on the other line.

_“Hello? Huening Kai? How are you my favorite disciple?”_

He smiled at Hoseok’s cheery tone. “I am doing well, Hobi-hyung.”

_“Great, great! What do you need, Hyuka?”_

“Ah, how’d you know…” Huening Kai trailed off, a bit embarrassed that he was caught by his mentor. He thought he wasn’t being obvious, but of course Hoseok could detect bullshit from a mile away.

 _“C’mon, I know you well enough to know when you’re going to ask for something. Don’t be afraid to ask me for anything, Kai.”_ Huening Kai just knew that his hyung was beaming on the other end of the line, and that made him smile too.

“Well, I suppose I should get down to business… hyung I need your group’s help. My friends and I have encountered, a problem. You don’t have to help, but I thought it was best to ask and try.” Huening Kai sighed and got ready to recount all that’s happened to Hoseok.

By the time he was done telling his story, Hoseok became noticeably silent. Huening Kai didn’t know what to make of his silence and was a little nervous. He adjusted his shirt nervously while he waited for Hoseok to process all the information. It was scary not knowing what his mentor was thinking and he silently prayed that he hadn’t angered the older somehow, although he knew deep down that it was unlikely that he did.

“ _Kai, I’m going to talk to Namjoon real quick_ ,” Hoseok finally said. Huening Kai muttered a response and slouched in his seat. He felt some of the tension leave his body. Thankfully Hoseok didn’t outright refuse his favor. He knew that the conversation with Namjoon might take a bit long and decided to get comfortable in his seat.

If he was lucky, after Hoseok talked to Namjoon the duo would consult the group and then they would come to a decision.

Having them help out would relieve some of his worries. Once people hear Bangtan is protecting them or has their eyes on them, not many would want to accept any jobs that would risk confrontation with the group. Of course, Huening Kai knows that doesn’t mean no one is going to try anything, but it’s nice to know that you’re sort of protected.

Hoseok came back to the phone after about fifteen minutes, and Huening Kai was drifting in and out of sleep when his mentor called out to him from the other line.

“ _Kai_?”

Huening Kai woke up from his light seat and grabbed his phone from the chair on his left side. He straightened up in his seat and cleared his throat to show that he was still here.

“Yes, Hobi-hyung?”

“ _Namjoon and the rest of the group agreed to help you kids out_ ,” Hoseok informed him, causing a huge smile to grow on his face. He knew he could count on the people who were like older brothers to him. After this call he would have to go and tell his friends about the good news.

“Oh! Thank you so much, hyung!”

Hoseok chuckled. “ _Don’t worry about it. You and your friends are an interesting bunch, so me and the boys know taking up this little job will be interesting. Can you schedule a meeting for us to meet_?”

Huening Kai opened up his notes app on his phone to start writing down things and planning.

“Of course, just text me times when you and the rest of the group are available, and I will check on my hyungs and see when the best time to meet is. I’ll even discuss payments with them in advance,” Huening Kai said as his mind whirled, thinking of dates, venues, and the payment.

“ _Ah, don’t worry about payment, kiddo_ ,” Hoseok chirped. “ _It’s a little mean but this is a form of entertainment in our eyes. Our payment is the show_.” Bangtan’s second in command let out a dark laugh which made Huening Kai’s eyes widen a bit.

It was oddly nice of them to do this, but at the same time it was still weird that he viewed this possibly dangerous situation as entertainment. He just shrugged and guessed that it was all just part of the game they were playing. He and his friends would just have to get used to it.

“Ah, I see. Thank you again, hyung. We really appreciate it.”

“ _No problem. I know you’re busy, so I’ll leave you to do your business things. Bye my favorite student_!”

“Bye, Hobi-hyung, extend my greetings and thanks to the rest as well,” Huening Kai said before Hoseok hung up. He pumped his fist in the air and cheered happily after setting down his phone. The first step to ensure their safety had been made, and knowing this, his chest felt a tad bit lighter.

He starts planning their meeting, running his memorized schedule through his mind to find the perfect time for their secret meeting. He would have to find an inconspicuous place as well, and one that would make it hard for information to leak out of it.

He also made a mental note to have his and his friend’s electronic devices be checked to see if there were any bugs or something like them.

Technology is both a blessing and a curse. You could never be too careful.

His phone started ringing and once he saw the caller id he smiled.

“Taehyun!” Huening Kai said once he answered the phone. “What’s up? I thought you were meeting someone today?” He absentmindedly messed around with his outfit and crossed his legs.

“ _I am, but what I’m about to say is very important and I need you to listen_ ,” Taehyun said causing Huening Kai to frown at the urgency in his voice.

“ _Soobin-hyung is being targeted by someone, and if my guess is right, something is going to happen to him, and soon_.”

“What? How do you know for sure?”

“ _I’ll explain it as simply as I can_ ,” Taehyun answered before he started retelling what happened and how he figured things out. Huening Kai was shocked and didn’t know how to process the information. Just when he thought things were going to be okay, they go wrong just like that.

“Do you know where Soobin-hyung is right now?”

“ _I’ve tried calling him and he won’t pick up_ ,” Taehyun replied, and Huening Kai winced at how stressed his friend sounded.

“I’m stuck in traffic right now, but I’ll try to find him.”

“ _I’m going to try and figure out who the hell is targeting him. Call me or text me if you find him_.”

“Okay, bye Taehyun.”

Huening Kai sighed and rubbed his eyes. He really hoped Soobin was okay and wouldn't get hurt. If no one can figure out who sent those messages with the resources, they have then that means this person was good. He hesitantly texted Hoseok about the new development. He really didn’t want to bother them right now just right after he called, but it was information that they needed to know.

He knocked on the divider between him and the driver.

“Sir?” the driver said once the divider was down.

“There’s been a change of plans, take me to Choi Soobin’s office, please,” Huening Kai said. The driver looked at him from the rearview mirror and looked like he wanted to say something but Huening Kai could tell that he changed his mind.

“As you wish, Sir.”

———— ★ ————

Soobin was sitting in the backseat of his car with Secretary Lee in the front seat. He groaned when his phone died and looked to his secretary.

“Do you have a charger with you right now?”

Secretary Lee shook his head. “I’m afraid not. We’ll be at the office shortly though.”

The chairman sighed and cursed his forgetfulness. He forgot to charge his phone before he went to bed last night. He really needed to stop doing that. He could potentially miss important calls, messages, or emails. As the chairman, that is something he simply could not afford to happen.

He decided to just rest his eyes a little more before he was pulled into meetings and doing paperwork for the rest of the day.

He still wasn’t used to this new routine of his, but he knew he could eventually get used to it.

“Sir, we’re being followed,” Secretary Lee said from the front seat causing Soobin’s eyes to snap open in disbelief.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, this black van has been tailing us since we left your place. What are we going to do, Sir?”

Soobin groaned. “My guess is the only thing stopping them from attacking is the fact that we’re on a crowded street right now. There is no way they can successfully pull off their plan with these many eyewitnesses. For now, let’s just keep driving and try to lose them.”

Secretary Lee nodded and continued driving past the office. Soobin took a peek at the van from the rearview mirror and scowled. He wasn’t expecting his enemies to make a move so soon. It seemed like someone wanted to cut the bud before it bloomed. He didn’t know if this was a foolish or smart move.

They couldn’t lose the van at all no matter how hard they tried. Soobin watched as Secretary Lee’s usual blank face hardened while he frowned. Even in situations like these he is very reliable. Soobin was so thankful that he had someone like his amazing secretary at his side.

Soobin felt like he should be fearful, but he found himself more annoyed than filled with fear. His life was in danger yes, but he really wished his assailants at least waited a little bit longer. He had just got home from vacation, let a man breathe before you go plotting their death.

They pulled into one of the smaller, less busier streets leading to residential areas due to another black van appearing, and Soobin cursed.

“I should’ve known they would call in backup,” Soobin sneered. “Secretary Lee, you might have to get your hands dirty.” He shot his secretary a grim look.

He just sighed before locking eyes with Soobin from the mirror.

“I’m fine with that. Your safety is my top priority right now. I’d do anything to ensure that you make it out of this alive,” Secretary Lee declared, trying to reassure Soobin. It eased his worries a little bit and he smiled.

“In times like these I’d really wish you’d drop the formalities. You’ve proven yourself to be a valued friend. We might not even make it out of this alive so just stop being so uptight,” Soobin replied, his secretary just gave him a pointed look, and he sighed.

“I can assure you, _Sir_ , I’ll get you out of here,” Secretary Lee mumbled while he took a turn to try and throw off the van. “You better give me a raise though _and_ paid leave, Soobin.” He glared at his boss, and Soobin just laughed knowing the glare didn’t hold any anger or malice towards him.

“Don’t worry, I know how to award my workers.”

Soobin heard gunshots ring out and he ducked down in his seat while Secretary Lee cursed.

“Damn, they shot one of the tires. Sir, permission to just fight these fuckers?” Secretary Lee asked, anger present in his voice.

“Permission granted.” More shots rang out, and the back window of the car shattered. Soobin cursed again and Secretary Lee horizontally parked the car. They were in a secluded street with houses that looked a bit run down, a perfect place to carry out their plan.

Secretary Lee got a handgun from the glove compartment and brought Soobin to hide behind the car. He left his suit jacket with Soobin and rolled up his sleeves. Soobin took out his secretary’s phone and called for another car to come get them and for people to come and clean up this mess. He had faith in his employee that he’d take care of these people and get him safely to work.

He heard more gunshots go off and he winced. He trusted Secretary Lee to get things done, but he worried for his safety. It was one against multiple people.

“Soobin, don’t worry too much. It seems that whoever orchestrated this whole thing only sent some random gang to do the dirty work,” Secretary Lee reassured his boss. After fifteen more minutes of fighting, his secretary came over to the back of the car looking battered and bruised. Soobin stood up to try and check his injuries but Secretary Lee shook his head. He leaned against the car to calm down his beating heart.

Soobin didn’t fight much and wasn’t severely injured, he was lucky enough to only have a few men charge at him. They were easy to take down and didn’t do much damage and he was grateful to whatever gods were there that he wasn’t badly hurt.

A few seconds later a call pulled into the street. Secretary Lee moved to grab the handgun and prepared himself to defend Soobin, but a raised hand from his boss stopped him.

“That’s our car.”

They got in with Secretary Lee sitting in the passenger seat and Soobin in the back. The driver informed Soobin that a team was on their way to go clean up the streets and to take the car to be repaired. The young chairman winced, that was his favorite car.

“When we get to the office, I’ll send for someone to get you a new suit,” Soobin mumbled. Secretary Lee nodded and gave him a tired smile that Soobin returned.

The rest of the ride was silent. After all the adrenaline wore off, it finally sunk in that someone had tried to kill him. He let out a small laugh at how stupid this whole thing was.

He had the driver bring them to a side entrance where they could enter the office without too many people bothering them. They quietly made their way to Soobin’s office and successfully evaded other people.

Secretary Lee shut the door behind him as Soobin threw himself onto his couch.

“Alert the guards of the situation, make sure they scan everyone leaving and entering this building. I won’t endanger everyone in this building. File an incident report but make sure only my father sees it. After that, all I ask is that you stay with me in my office for the rest of the day,” Soobin ordered. Secretary Lee just bowed and left the office to go do his tasks. Soobin felt bad for making him work more after what just happened, but he only trusted his secretary.

His phone at his desk rang, and he wordlessly got up to answer the phone. His receptionist informed him that Huening Kai was on the way up and that he had something urgent to tell him. Soobin grimaced once he realized his friend was probably going to warn him, and that he was a little too late.

Soobin sighed and went to plug in his phone, before he sat down and waited for his friend to arrive.

———— ★ ————

Yeonseok walked into his office and threw down a file on his desk. He loosened his tie and sat down in his chair. He just got out of a meeting and was informed that his brother would be coming in later on. He smirked as he dug out his phone from the pocket of his dress pants.

He opened his phone and lazily scrolled through his contacts. He tapped on one and patiently waited for the person to pick up.

“Hello, I was told that you are willing to offer certain services that I may need,” Yeonseok said. He leaned back in his office chair and spun to face the window.

“ _Whatever I am able to offer depends on the amount of money you’re willing to pay_ ,” a voice on the other end replied. Yeonseok laughed softly at the reply.

“I can assure you that money isn’t an issue for me,” he said sweetly. He heard some shuffling from the other end while he stared out of the window. Traffic was a little backed up and the streets were quite busy.

“ _Ah, a rich snob then. What do you need? Threatening someone, finding out their personal info, framing someone, assassination_ ,” the voice questioned, Yeonseok could hear the faint noses of typing coming from the side and knew his new acquaintance was most likely finding out who he is.

“All of them really. Though our little contract will end when you execute the assassination,” Yeonseok answered. He heard more typing and decided to turn around to sort through the file he threw earlier.

He took out the contents of the file and grinned.

“ _Okay, before I accept, tell me Choi Yeonseok-ssi, who exactly is my target_?”

On his desk were photos of Yeonjun from all around the city. Eating lunch with Beomgyu, walking through the streets, at a coffee shop, at the mall. He’s been keeping tabs on his brother and managed to get his hands on pictures from security cameras everywhere.

“The biggest thorn in my side right now, Choi Yeonjun, my brother.”

“ _Trouble in paradise it seems. Mad that your brother is inheriting the company instead of you_?” the voice taunted. Yeonseok felt his anger grow. How dare this lowlife criminal mock him!

“That’s none of your business,” he growled. “I have a file I want to give to you. As much as I enjoy our little chat, I’m afraid I have to leave to attend a meeting. I’ll be in touch.”

Yeonseok hung up the phone, gathered all the photos and put it back into the file, and locked it away in his desk. Soon, his brother won’t be blocking him from his goals. He’s going to utterly destroy him first though and enjoy watching his little brother’s life fall apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was extremely hard to write, omg. i've been stressing over this for almost two weeks ;-; it's 4,100 words which is the most i've written for a chapter in this story (?) i think so i hope it makes up for the long wait D: i feel so bad for having soobie be attacked but buckle up friends, things are only going to get worse from here on out! 
> 
> anyways! special shout out to my unofficial beta, alex ([@hansapphic](https://twitter.com/hansapphic?s=09) on twitter on twitter). 8/10 times I'll ask her to read a chapter and ask for opinions and she will point out any mistakes i made. i also go to her all the time when i have new ideas for aus or for one of my stories and she helps me with creativity. i appreciate her a lot and this chapter definitely wouldn't have gone out with out her! she's seriously the best <3
> 
> thank you for reading <3
> 
> [UPDATE 21 AUGUST 2020]  
> playground will be on hiatus till further notice
> 
> SOCIAL MEDIA:  
> [main twt](https://twitter.com/ctrlbins?s=09)  
> [au archive twt](https://twitter.com/tdclix)  
> [my cc](https://curiouscat.qa/loafae)


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